Historic gathering for Magdalene survivors

Some 220 Magdalene laundry survivors from as far away as Australia and the US are set to attend a historic two-day event next month to enable them to meet and talk to each other.

According to event organisers, Dublin Honours Magdalenes (DHM), this will be the first time many of the women, most of whom are aged between their late 70s and early 90s, will be able to speak freely to other women incarcerated in the laundries.

For many of those travelling from abroad, this will be their first time to return home to Ireland since they left after their confinement in the Magdalene laundry.